The Dragonlord in Winter
by dfriendly
Summary: Hunith takes in a stranger for the winter as a favor to an old friend. What she doesn't expect is to fall in love with him. Pre-series. HunithxBalinor


**Title:** The Dragonlord in Winter

**Fandom: **_Merlin_

**Rating:** R

**Characters/Pairings: **Hunith/Balinor, Gaius, baby!Merlin, wee mentions of Uther

**Word Count:** 1,961

**Spoilers: **2x13 (and earlier)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own i_Merlin/i_. All I possess is my adoration for it.

**Summary:** Hunith takes in a stranger for the winter as a favor to an old friend. What she doesn't expect is to fall in love with him.

**A/N:** The title is inspired by the movie _The Lion in Winter_, even though I've never actually seen it.

I don't know what got into me to suddenly write this, despite having other WIPs. I remember coming up with the general story in my head right after seeing 2x13, but it wasn't clearly formed, etc. And for unknown reasons, today seemed like a good day to write it?

This will hopefully coincide with everything we've learned so far about Balinor and Hunith. Apologies if there are discrepancies.

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Hunith had already given her father's bed and share of blankets to others in Ealdor more in need of it by the time Balinor showed up on her doorstep. That was how they ended up sharing a bed once it became too cold.

It was out of necessity, really.

The idea of a strange man in her house had made her uneasy. But her family owed Gaius a debt, so she felt obliged to help their old friend out. Besides, Gaius would not have risked so much for someone undeserving.

And Balinor had sensed her unease right off, insisting that he would find somewhere else to go. He reasoned that Gaius would not have asked this of her had he known her father had died and Hunith was on her own. She might have even let Balinor leave, had winter not been just around the corner.

Soon, she realized that Balinor was an asset to have around the house. He helped out in every possible way he could, taking on jobs her father once had along with others. In fact, Hunith would probably not have built up an adequate storage of firewood without him. He also hunted for her, despite her feeling that he didn't much like killing animals.

She grew more and more comfortable with having him around, even thankful. So she could hardly let him freeze on the floor without enough blankets, especially when she herself would have preferred being warmer.

They eventually became used to sharing the bed, wrapping their arms around each other in seek of body heat instead of trying to touch as little as possible as they had once been. It was now usual for her to tuck her head under his chin and listen to his heart beat.

She can tell when he isn't sleeping by the sound of his breathing.

"Aren't you tired?" she whispers.

"Yes," his voice vibrates in that familiar low timbre. "But my mind doesn't want to rest."

"Is something wrong?"

"No," he answers quickly. Then she feels him shake his head, correcting himself. "Well… I'm just worried about Gaius. I'm afraid for if Uther found out that he helped me."

Hunith pulls away just far enough to face him. "I'm sure Gaius is fine. He can handle himself. He broke you out didn't he?"

"I suppose."

Her fingers brush his cheek without thinking about it. "You don't need to worry," she reassures with a smile.

He nods.

She bites her lip for a moment, debating her next question until it spills out. "Why did Gaius save you? I mean, there was _some_ risk."

He shifts in bed a bit. "My father saved his life once. I was just a boy and Gaius was still young – and _foolish_, as he tells it. He got himself in trouble with a dragon on one of his travels and he was lucky that we were nearby for my father to intervene."

"And your father. He's ….?"

"Dead."

"Do you miss him?"

"Very much. But it was a long time ago." He wets his lips. "You miss your parents?"

"Yes. My mother passed just over a year ago, so it was not that long ago for either of them. It's… hard."

"I'm sorry."

His hand starts stroking her back.

"I'm… I'm glad you're here. I don't feel so lonely."

He smiles weakly. "I'm glad to be here."

Balinor kisses her forehead and tucks her back into his arms.

Balinor is stirring the stew on the hearth when she kisses his cheek.

He smiles. "What was that for?"

"Just saying thank you."

She's not sure exactly what she's thanking him for. Maybe it's for dinner. Maybe it's for something else.

Balinor busts through the door, tearing the layers off his torso as he hurries to the fire.

"Tree – Snow – Fell – Cold," he rushes through clattering teeth.

The whole story she receives later, as blankets are wrapped around his now warm and dry body. He accidentally jostled the tree outside the house so that snow fell down the back of his neck and under his shirt.

"I didn't know you could be so clumsy," she laughs.

"I'm _not_ clumsy!" he defends, grinning at her all the same.

Hunith turns as she blushes, unable to stop thinking about his bare chest from when he stripped just moments ago.

It's not the first time they've kissed like this. Heated, desperate, consuming. She's not exactly sure how it happened the first time, not that she cares.

But it is the first she's dared to press her hand against the bulge in his trousers.

"Oh Hunith," he groans and shoves his forehead into the pillow next to her ear. He then starts kissing her neck while repeating her name. He goes no further, though, than the small involuntary thrusts against her hand.

She nudges his shoulder with her other hand. "Balinor," she rasps. "I want – I…"

He stares at her for a moment, as if making sure, before kissing her and beginning to run his hand up under her skirt.

They're in front of the fire after supper. He's rubbing her feet, which she insists aren't cold even though it's a lie.

But it's nice, how tender he is, the way he smiles at her. Her skirt rises a little at a time, which she thinks is unintentional… at first. Because his grin is becoming more and more cat-like.

She kicks him lightly in the chest with her other foot, which he promptly catches. "Hey! Now what's this?" he laughs.

He then tugs at both her ankles until she's fallen back on the rug. He's on top of her in an instant, tickling and caressing her at the same time. His mouth is on hers, muffling her giggles as they turn into panting.

He then slows down in an instant, drawing out her kisses so that she sighs, before pulling back and looking her in the eyes. He pushes the hair out of her face, which has gotten completely mussed.

He doesn't say anything; she learned a long time ago that he's a man of few words.

And he doesn't need to.

"What are you carving?"

It's nearing the end of winter and the stock of firewood has lasted well. Since they have more than needed, Balinor has begun whittling to pass the time. He's quite good.

"A merlin," he says, squinting his eyes at it in concentration. "I've always liked them. Remind me of dragons."

Hunith tilts her head, barely able to make out the shape of its outstretched wings. It takes a few hours for him to finish, after which he sets it on the mantle.

It's her favorite one.

Hunith isn't sure if it's because spring is coming or because of their lovemaking, but they often find themselves throwing some of the sheets off in the middle of the night. Or morning. Or early evening. Or afternoon… well, there isn't a whole lot to do in the winter.

He's propped the sheet up on his shoulder so he can see her body as she lies next to him while he's on his side. Some chilled air seeps through, but Hunith's sweaty enough to welcome it for the mean time.

And Balinor can't complain about the effect it has on her body as his hand traces her breast. Goose pimples rise on her flesh, but she doesn't know if that's the cold's fault or not.

"I'm glad you didn't let me go off on my own instead of staying here."

She smiles. "Me, too."

Hunith then shivers and he lowers the blanket back down before reaching for two more that are lumped by their feet.

She settles up against him, her head tucked under his chin. A position she never tires of.

She could certainly get used to this.

He's out hunting. The snow is nearly all melted by now, so people can return to their usual activities.

He's on a ridge some way from Ealdor in pursuit of a deer when he sees Camelotian banners down below. He knows what business this kind of traveling party has here.

He wants to run to Hunith, tell her he has to go, that he _loves_ her, kiss her goodbye…

But he knows he doesn't have time. If they spotted him or had any reason to think she or anyone in Ealdor was harboring him, it would put her in danger. So he has to run – _now_.

Months later, he wonders if it's safe to go back. It hurts to be away from her. But he knows he can't, that he'll have to keep running away. Staying with Hunith would mean putting her in danger and he could never risk her life like that.

He could bring her with him wherever he went… but she deserves better than that.

She deserves a husband, and children, and a _home_. She deserves not having to live in fear all the time.

She deserves better than _him_.

Hunith's belly has grown ripe with child; the other villagers are beginning to notice.

They talk. Some judge her, what did she expect after taking a man into her house? But many pity her. She is too kind to have turned him away. He probably took advantage of her loneliness after her father's passing, just as he did with her hospitality. Some suggest he was an incubus. (There was certainly something _odd_ about him.) It is the only way of explaining how such an innocent girl like Hunith could have been seduced.

So they are always wary of the child. Strange things seem to follow him.

But Hunith loves him more than anything.

Gaius finally deems it safe for him to travel to Ealdor.

He knows Balinor hasn't been captured. Uther had decided that if they hadn't been able to find him that he must have been taken victim by the harsh winter.

But what of Gaius' friends that had taken him in? He can't help but worry and he could hardly try to get details of the search without raising suspicion. It is only Uther's friendship and Gaius' promise to stop using magic that has spared him. Gaius now walks a very fine line.

What he does not expect is for Hunith's father to be long dead and her to have a babe on her hip, just a few weeks old.

It is all his fault.

However Hunith assures him that it is not. That Balinor did nothing wrong and that they merely fell in love.

Gaius can tell that his leaving broke her heart, no matter how much she understood.

Merlin wraps his fist around Gaius' pinkie and suckles in his sleep.

"Will you tell him who his father is?"

Hunith shakes her head. "Balinor left me so that I might be kept safe. I will do the same with our son."

The physician lowers his eyes in understanding. "If there's anything you or Merlin need, Hunith, never hesitate in asking it of me."

Tears sting Hunith's eyes at the sight of the broken carving. The wooden bird is split in two.

Merlin was too young; she shouldn't have let him play with it. Not until he was older.

But Merlin just laughs and gurgles, looking up at her with that smile on his chubby face as he beats the halves of it on the ground. Then his eyes shine gold and they spin in the air. He claps his hands, amused at his own magic and perhaps not even aware that he's the one who's doing it.

She wipes her eyes, unable to help smiling back at his precious grin, and kisses him on the head.

She doesn't need the carving anymore.


End file.
